As speculation intensifies regarding Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool, fuelled by a recent spat with Arne Slot and looming interest from the Saudi Pro League, former Reds striker Emile Heskey has weighed in on the impossible task of replacing the Egyptian King.
Speaking to OLBG (quotes via The Mirror), Heskey named three players who could replace Salah, should the legendary number eleven depart Anfield this summer.
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Heskey’s Mohamed Salah replacement shortlist: Kvaratskhelia, Bowen, and Pulisic
Heskey was quick to admit that there will no direct replacement for Salah, but he highlighted Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his primary target.
The Georgian international, currently starring for PSG after a high-profile move from Napoli, is Heskey’s “go-to” choice for his flair and game-changing ability.
He said: “We’re talking about replacing Mohamed Salah and I think as fans you’ve got to look at something different because you can’t replace Mo Salah. I remember one season I was speaking to someone who said Mo’s had a bad season. He’d scored 25 goals! I’d love to have had that bad of a season.
“We’re talking about someone scoring 20 plus, nearly 30 goals a season for 10 years. I don’t think you can replace Mo Salah but I do like the lad from PSG, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. He would be my go-to.”
However, the former England international also looked closer to home, suggesting West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen as a tactical alternative.
“Would Jarrod Bowen be a downgrade from Mohamed Salah? I think most players are a downgrade… but Bowen is a different type of player and he would probably help the formation because he’s going to work a little bit harder than Mo,” Heskey added
The last name on the list was former Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic. Now revitalised in Italy, Pulisic’s directness reminds Heskey of Salah’s own career path.
He suggested that, much like Salah flourished after leaving Chelsea for Serie A and returning to England, Pulisic could return to the Premier League to prove his critics wrong.
He said: “I actually quite like Christian Pulisic. He is very direct. He probably didn’t get as many goals as I would have liked him to get at Chelsea but I thought he gave defences problems.
“Obviously after a good World Cup, being at home with the pressure on him, he is definitely someone who could offer something different to Mohamed Salah or even Cody Gakpo right now.
“Mo left Chelsea to go to Italy and look at what he’s done for Liverpool. I think it’d be great to see someone like Pulisic come back into the Premier League in the same way. I’m guessing he would love to show that his time at Chelsea was just a little blip. He was only a young lad when he came over.”
| Player | Club | Goals | Assists | G+A | Minutes Played |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1,614 |
| Christian Pulisic | AC Milan | 8 | 2 | 10 | 962 |
| Jarrod Bowen | West Ham | 8 | 3 | 11 | 2,328 |
| K. Kvaratskhelia | PSG | 4 | 3 | 7 | 953 |
Replacing Salah’s outrageous numbers will be impossible
Salah’s consistency is virtually peerless. Replacing a player who has averaged nearly 30 goals a season for a decade is nearly impossible.
Since singing for Liverpool, Salah has broken almost every record, consistently performing season after season for 9 years.
He has recorded double digits for goals and assists every single season, accumulating 252 goals and 121 assists in 429 games across all competitions.
This season, which has been his worst ever in a Liverpool shirt has seen him score seven and assist eight so far across all competitions.
Even in his off season, the Egyptian King is expected to cross double digits for goal contributions.
Replacing someone with the outrageous numbers he has produced over the years will be impossible for the club.
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